Something More Sequel
by NaleyAlways4Ever
Summary: This is the Something More Sequel, NALEY. It's been six years. For Haley, everything is still there. For Nathan, everything has changed. Is there still a possibility for something more?
1. I'm Sorry

**Surprise! I bet you didn't think I'd be back, like ever.. And I wouldn't blame you if you did. Originally, my plan was to upload the first chapter of this story back in January, but because I suck.. You get it now, in August..**

**The thing is, my inspiration has been lost for a long time. And I've been working three stories at the same time, writing whenever I feel like it, but never at the same story for a longer period. It's been a bit hard, and I'm not sure if uploading is a good idea right now.**

**On Sunday, which is in six days, I'm moving to America. I'm attending a boarding school in Minnesota for a year, which means that I'll have people around me ALL the time and probably won't be able to write at ALL.. **

**What's worse is that this story isn't finished.. I haven't written more than about 8 chapters of this story, and I don't know how long it will take me to finish this. Could be a year or more. But I know people have wanted to read this story, and because I've written over a hundred pages of it, I want to share what I have with you. Even if it takes me a long time to finish, I will someday. In the mean time, I'll let you enjoy what I have written, and please; pressure me and encourage me to continue! **

**My other two stories are called A Deeper Connection and My Everything. Just like this sequel, I will post what I have of these stories, and let you enjoy what I have. I'll finish them when I get the time, but if you like my writing and my stories, it would mean a lot to me if you would read them as well. **

**I know some of you might turn around and not bother, because it would be a long process, but I hope you'll read anyway. I've spend many hours on this, and I'm proud of what I have managed to write even with the lack of time and inspiration.**

**Love you all!**


	2. Back to Start

**Ready to read? I hope so, I know you've waited a long time for this! Sorry I'm so bad at keeping my promises! I suck, I know..Thank you so much to my beta, Lax.. Lifesaver, truly!  
**

**Disclaimer: I never do these, and maybe I should, but just in case you wondered: I don't own anything.. Darn..**

**Summary: It's been six years. For Haley, everything is still there. For Nathan, everything has changed. Is there still a possibility for something more? **

* * *

It had been six years. Six long, lonely years. Six long, lonely years without him. She missed him everyday, thought about him constantly and wondered if he was doing the same thing. They had hardly seen each other in the past six years. When they broke up, or when she broke up with him that was, they decided it was best to just not see each other or speak anymore. It was too hard, at least that's what she concluded after months of thinking about it. Clearly, she should have thought about it more, because it was a stupid choice! A stupid decision, causing her six years of heart ache, and six years of yearning for him.

He moved on after a little while, at least that's what Lucas said when he came and visited her during sophomore year. Her dream was coming true, and so was his. She was studying music at the university she always wanted to attend, and he was playing basketball like a God on the other side of the country. She always knew he would move on in the end, but that day was a black one in a series of very dark brown, possibly grey ones. Suddenly, their break up was reality. He was over her, moving on without her. He was living his dream, and she was happy for him, at least that's what she told herself every night she went to bed. Things were different for them, but at least he got to be happy. In the end, maybe she would be too.

Now, her life was finally falling into place again. She was a huge rockstar, touring the country and playing in front of thousands every night. It was so hectic! Concerts, fans, record labels. Everybody wanted a piece of superstar Haley James. But something was still missing. Her heart wasn't complete. Even with her music, and her dreams coming true, he wasn't there to share it with her. She didn't even know if he was proud of her.

It had all started with him. He overheard her in the shower and signed her up for open mic nights everywhere he found them. Her talent was unique, and with his support and his belief in her, she felt like she could do anything. Then came the scholarship to Stanford's music line, and his basketball scholarship to Duke. Suddenly, what had been a dream was a huge nightmare, and Haley saw no other solution other than to break things of before they became too serious. That way, they at least had a chance to be happy instead of spending every other second thinking about their better half. It hadn't worked though, she was still stuck where she was six years ago. Alone and desperately in love with Nathan Scott.

The light cracked through the blinds in her bed room as Haley's eyes fluttered open. The jet lag was still evident in her tired form, but she was way too excited to sleep any longer. Her thoughts travelled to the last day's events. She couldn't help but smile proudly at her accomplishments. She had walked up to her manager and demanded a break. She wasn't scheduled for another concert for about six weeks, and she figured she needed to get away for a while. Add 24 hours, and she had not only managed to get a good six weeks of vacation, but she had also jumped on a plane, and put her feet back on secure ground in the big apple.

This was the it place these days. Haley usually belonged in LA, but everyone else had moved to New York. Lucas and his girlfriend Lindsay were here, Brooke with her busy life and controlling mother, Peyton with her record label and finally Nathan. He was drafted two years ago to play for the Seattle Sonics, but after a short period of time he was traded to the New York Knicks. Apparently he didn't like Seattle much, it was too far away from everyone. That's what Lucas told her at least. And now, Haley was here too. She couldn't wait to see all of them! Even Nathan. To be honest, Haley had missed him terribly in the past six years, and even though it would be hard to see him again, she couldn't wait. If there still was a chance for them, she wouldn't hesitate to take it.

Applying some light make up, Haley looked at herself in the mirror and nodded conformingly. This was as good as it would get. Zipping up her tall, black Chanel boots and tightening the belt of her brand new Dior jacket around her, Haley locked herself out of her hotel room and walked towards the elevator. The cold November air hit her lightly in the face as she walked slowly down 7th Avenue. Around her the city was moving in high speed, and everyone seemed to be too busy to notice the famous singer walking among them. Around the corner she stopped inside the first Starbucks she saw and got in line.

"Welcome to Starbucks, what can I get you?" the hardworking girl behind the counter asked her as Haley studied the menu and sighed loudly.

"I think I'll go for a Grande Caramel Latte today, please," Haley smiled warmly at her as the girl typed her order in.

"That will be $3.50 please. Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thank you," Haley politely declined as the girl returned her smile.

"You're Haley James, aren't you?" she asked her shyly, not wanting to disturb the famous singer in her everyday life. It was human to dislike unwanted attention!

"Yeah, that's me," Haley confirmed as she winked and walked towards the table where her coffee would soon be served. She couldn't ignore the whispering and looks around her, but she had gotten quite used to it over the years. Everybody loved celebrities, and if they were lucky enough to see one, they would certainly talk about it. Probably brag to their friends and so on.

"Oh my God! Haley?" She turned towards a voice she hadn't heard in a few years. Time seemed to go slow as the skinny blonde made her way towards her. As they met in the middle, they hugged each other as closely as possible before enormous smiles spread across their faces.

"What are you doing here?"

"It's good to see you too, Peyt," Haley laughed as her curly haired friend hugged her again. It felt good to be back in her arms, good to be back in her life. Haley didn't really have much time for friends with her hectic career, but for the next six weeks: that would be all she had time for. Friends were her number one priority!

"What in the world is my rockstar High School best friend doing in my local Starbucks shop?" Peyton shook her head amazed. She really hadn't expected to run into Haley when she had left her apartment for coffee this morning.

"I'm staying in New York for a few weeks. Taking a break to relax and meet up with old friends. I meant to call you, but I just landed last night and slept for a few hours before coming here. It's so good to see you! I've missed you," Haley confessed as she grabbed the coffee that was waiting for her and walked arm in arm with Peyton out the door.

"You too, Hales! I can't believe you're actually here! It feels like forever since I've seen you! And before I forget, I love what you've done with your life, Hales. I'm so proud of you, and knowing you personally has gotten me so many cool points, it's a little ridiculous!" They laughed as Peyton leaded Haley towards her apartment.

"So what's going on in your life? Any hot and mysterious lovers sneaking into your bed these days?" Peyton raised her eyebrows, begging for details with her eyes. Their girl talk was seriously long overdue!

"No, no one's been there for a few years" Haley laughed, but Peyton didn't really follow.

"What do you mean? Are you saying that you haven't enjoyed the perks of being a famous rock star to the fullest? Haley James, I am shocked!" She pointed out as Haley rolled her eyes as far back as they would go. She knew she was a bit pathetic, but what can you do when you're still hooked up on your ex-boyfriend?

"What about you, Peyt? You still hang out with the old gang?" Haley questioned, hoping to change the subject away from her pathetic and currently non-existing love life.

"Yeah, a bit. I see Brooke all the time, and Lucas too. Nathan is around when he has time, but it's been a while now. Speaking of, I'm supposed to meet Brooke for drinks tonight. You want to join us?" Haley nodded positively at the request, already looking forward to seeing her old best friend again. Brooke was an unforgettable person, and Haley had missed her a lot.

"So, any particular reason why you have been MIA for six years, Hales? We've all missed you a lot! Especially Nathan, you know," Peyton's voice dropped a bit at the mentioning of the previous relationship-gone-bad.

"I guess in the beginning, I just needed to get away. Keeping in contact with everyone would just be too difficult and cause me to be unfocused. And besides, I couldn't allow myself to go all negative, pining for Nathan all the time. I needed to cut the ties so I could move on," Haley explained as Peyton nodded slowly.

"So did you? Move on, I mean?"

"I don't know. Not really. I guess I'll find out when I see him again, won't I?" Haley smiled as she thought about him. He probably looked even better now than when they were together. She bet he had large muscles and that good, old, sexy smirk placed on his face. God, how she missed him.

"Yeah, about that. There is probably something you should know about him..." Peyton trailed of as she looked carefully at Haley's expression.

"No, don't say it. I just want to do this my own way, Peyt. I need to. I've made so many mistakes in my life, and I need to fix them myself," Haley declared as Peyton's nodded slowly, clearly worried what her revelation would have done to Haley anyway.

"So, tell me more about your life. How was college? Any hot boyfriends?"

* * *

The orange ball bounced against the concrete with a lot of force. Large hands gripped around it as the person responsible placed it up above his head and let it fly through the air.

Score.

A small smile filled his face, while his confidence seemed to boost even higher. Yet another basket, he was clearly in shape. There was something about fall that made him smile even more. Maybe it was the start of basketball season that had him so worked up, maybe it was last night's activities...

A deep breath was heard as he sighed loudly. The court was empty, curtsy to the privacy his large home brought him. He had bought the house about a year ago. It was a good buy, that he was sure of. It had five bedrooms including the master bedroom which was decorated to his wishes. Dark blue walls, and a large 23 printed in white all over the wall behind the headboard of his bed. There were bathrooms connecting with each of the bedrooms, plus two more. A comfortable movie theatre, work out room in the basement, large living room and of course an impressive kitchen he never used. He didn't know how to cook when he left for college, and he still couldn't. Lucky for him, he had both Chinese and Thai restaurants down the street.

Nathan hadn't been to Tree Hill since he left for college, six years ago. And he didn't want to go back either. If his parents or anyone else missed him, they would have to come to him. Not the other way around. This was his home now, New York with its fancy facilities and rich, spoiled brats. Tree Hill was just too, hard. If he went back, all the memories would come back. Memories he had fought for years, little details he didn't want nor wished to remember. Life was so much easier now, he had a job he loved, a nice home, great friends, fancy cars, a f...

"Hey Nate!" His thoughts were interrupted as he turned to find his cousin walking towards him. They were still as good friends, if even better than when they left Tree Hill. Nathan was thankful for that. At least he had some family in New York, someone he actually liked spending time with, that was.

"Hey Luke, what's up?" Nathan nodded towards the blonde as he came closer.

"You want to come out with me tonight? Go to a club? Party a little?" Lucas suggested, hoping his cousin would say yes, but scared of what the night could bring. Nathan's life was good now, he didn't need a reason to screw it up again. And Haley could easily be that type of reason.

"Why, something special we're celebrating?" Nathan frowned. Usually it was the other way around. He came to Lucas with requests to party. His brother was usually more of a 'relax-at-home-with-a-good-book' type of guy. He was a writer after all.

"Haley's back."

Those two words caused the black haired boy to stop whatever it was he was doing at that moment. For a few seconds, his eyes glazed over with a look Lucas had seen too many times to count the last years. The look that told him exactly what thoughts were swimming around inside Nathan's mind. Thoughts of Haley, their life together, how hard he had fought to get over her. You name it, Nathan was thinking it.

"I'm sorry for being so forward, it's just that the girls are going out with her tonight, and I thought maybe you'd like to see her. I know she wants to see you, so I figured maybe you'd be interested. I can totally understand if you don't want to! It's just a proposal, if you feel like it."

"Lucas! You're rambling, take a breath!" Nathan interrupted, smirking lightly as he let out a chuckle. This immediately brought a smile to Lucas' face, knowing that mentioning her name wouldn't be that much of a problem anymore. Usually, Nathan would tell him to shut up or change the subject when Haley came into the picture. But that was totally understandable for Lucas. He had been there all along, seen the pain she caused him and helped him through it.

"You're right," he said as he filled his lungs with the fresh air floating around. "So, you want to go?"

"Haley actually said she wanted to see me?" Nathan wondered, feeling like that possibility was a bit strange. She had ignored him for six years, why now?

"No, she hasn't. But I figured we would turn up and say: Hi. It's not every day she's in town. And besides, before all the drama, you were best friends. I'm sure she'd love to see you, and I have a feeling you wouldn't mind a chance to talk things over either," Lucas reasoned. He knew it was a long shot, but in the end this could really be good for Nathan. Either that or it would be a complete disaster! Only time would tell.

"Sure, I miss her. Besides, it's not like I'm still in love with her. I moved on, remember?" Nathan laughed at his cousin's nervousness. Of course it would be hard seeing her again, but it would give him some sort of closure. Hopefully it would be pretty painless, but then again this was Haley James, his best friend turned ex-girlfriend who froze him out of her life six years ago.

"Yeah, you remind me everyday," Lucas joked, motioning for Nathan to pass him the ball as he left the concrete and took a shot. The ball whooshed through the air, hit the rim and bounced back.

"You out of shape?" Nathan laughed as he took a shot himself. This time, the ball went through the hoop without touching the rim at all. Seeing the irritated look on the blonde's face only made him laugh even more! Nathan had always loved winning, and he was a pretty sore loser. Clearly, that was in the family.

"Shut up! You're the one who is a professional star. I'm just the poor author-guy who writes crappy novels about his previous love life."

* * *

The club smelled like sex. Hot steam radiated off the people who were cramped together on the dance floor. Bodies twisted around each other, rubbing against each other in all the right places. Haley hadn't been to one of these in a while. The whole party deal wasn't usually her scene. She enjoyed a movie or a good book while lying in her large and extremely comfortable, king sized bed.

"Well, this is certainly something you don't see everyday," Brooke's bubbly voice sounded over the music as their eyes watched a random girl shaking her butt on the dance floor. Her top was a good two sizes too small, along with the skirt she was wearing. You could, literally, see everything. Or lack there of...

"Why is it that none of these club hangers have any style? I feel like I'm back in High School with the sluts who bought their clothes at Whores-R-Us!" She continued, clearly not amused by the lack of fashion sense these girls possessed.

"Are you sure you're not talking about Rachel?" Haley laughed loudly together with the others, not remembering the last time she had done this. Just going out, having drinks with her friends. It had been a while, that's for sure.

"I wonder what happened to her..." Peyton trailed of as she placed their drinks down in front of them on the table.

"Who knows? Maybe she's a crack whore living in Texas?" Brooke pointed out as Haley cracked yet another smile. It was crazy how much she had missed these types of girls' nights. Just the idea of spending your entire evening having fun with people you care about thrilled her.

"Well, here is a toast to Rachel the maybe crack whore, and to us! We're single, 24 and absolutely fabulous!" All three girls raised their glasses at Peyton's toast and took a quick sip of their margaritas.

"Speaking of single, I see a hot guy starring at me. Excuse me," Brooke excused herself as she started her hunt for the prey of the evening. Normally, it wouldn't take her that long to find the lucky guy of the day. That was Brooke's game. After her mutual split with Lucas, sometime about two years ago, she had played the field like only Brooke Davis could!

"Well, I think I'll put my loneliness aside for the evening. I'd rather catch up with you more. So, what about you? You see any boy toys in here tonight?" Peyton questioned as Haley let her eyes scan the room. They searched through the crowd before landing on a blonde guy who was currently coming towards them.

"LUKE!" Haley exclaimed as she ran towards her old friend, wrapping her arms around him and bringing him close. His perfume hadn't change in the last six years, so he still smelled like good, old Lucas.

"Haley James, what in the world are you doing here?" Lucas asked, putting his acting skills to their best as he pretended to be surprised to see her. In reality, his sister had called him the second she left Haley earlier in the day. She told him the whole story, including their plans for the evening, thinking maybe Haley would like to catch up with him as well.

"Oh, don't act like Peyton or Brooke didn't tell you we'd be here! Question is, why are you here?" Haley chuckled as his face gave him away. She loved how easy it still was to read Lucas after all these years.

"I missed you," he shrugged, not wanting to put that much into it. In reality, that was basically why he had shown up. Somewhere, deep down, he was still pretty pissed with Haley for being so cold and selfish back then, but he was happy to see her. The smile of a certain James girl always brought one to his face as well.

"Oh, I missed you too! I'm so sorry it took me so long to come, things are just really crazy these days!" Haley explained as they let go of each other.

"Yeah, I can't even imagine how your life must be!" Lucas laughed as he locked eyes with the blue eyed guy behind Haley's back.

"I'll tell you all about it some time. So, you decided to show up here alone just to see little, old me?" Haley chuckled as Lucas' look shifted back on her.

"Not exactly," he revealed as he motioned for her to turn around with his fingers. Haley scowled at him with questioning eyes before complying and moving her body around. Both her heart and her body stopped when her eyes came in contact with the man standing in front of her. He looked good, damn good! She felt herself drool, unable to even open her mouth. In the end, she only managed to get out a small whisper.

"Nathan."

"Hi Haley," he nodded politely as time seemed to stand still around them. The only thing she could see was his lips moving, and the only thing she could hear was her heart beating harder and harder by the minute inside her chest. This was the moment, the moment she had been waiting for. This was it. Her chance for a future with happiness was now or never.

* * *

**So that was chapter one, I'll update as long as I feel interest, but as I've told you.. I wouldn't be surprised if the wasn't any, considering it's gonna take some time to finish this! I will though, eventually..! So, please let me know what you think and give me some inspiration! You're the best, and you know it!**


	3. The Mickey to my Minnie

**Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback you've given me so far! I felt like updating this story today, guess I'll just spread the other updates out a little. You'll get one each day, maybe two, but maybe not on the same story. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy the second chater as well. As you understand, a lot has been going on during the years that have passed, and unlogical things might happen, things you don't agree with or understand. Feel free to ask questions if you're really confused, but I think most things will be reveiled in the first chapters anyway! Enjoy!**

* * *

Her heart hammered in her chest. Her breath was quick, with her chest rising up and down at a fast speed. Her feet felt like jelly. She looked like she had seen a dead person or something close to it. He hadn't moved one inch in the past five minutes, and neither had she. Not a word had been spoken, and their eyes hadn't moved away from each other for a second. Lucas had left a few minutes ago, getting tired of their little staring game, so they were left alone.

Haley could feel her body dragging towards him, like it ached to be back in those arms that fit so well around her body. Her feet had a mind of their own as they stepped forward, urging her arms to wrap around him. Nathan stood stiff as the smaller woman practically jumped him and hugged him as close as possible, not feeling any need to let him go in the nearest future.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Haley whispered into his ear when she finally felt her voice return. He felt a sudden need to close his eyes as he hugged her back, pressing her tiny body tightly against his own larger one. She still felt as good, if not even better. She belonged there, or at least she used to. After minutes of hugging, he finally let her go and she slid out of his grip only to look right back up at him.

"I'm happy to see you too, Haley," Nathan assured her, bringing a soft smile to her face. Her dimples came into view, and the only thing he wanted to do was touch her cheek, or maybe kiss her soft baby skin. Nothing seemed to make sense now that she was back. One look at Haley, and his whole world was wrong. She wasn't in it, and she wasn't going to be in it either. He knew that, he just wished otherwise.

"So, how long are you back for?" Nathan tried to start the conversation lightly. It was definitely weird speaking to her again. He didn't know what to say. Truthfully, he was as nervous as the time he first told her how he felt. Nothing was simple anymore, everythng was hard..

"Oh, six weeks right now, but I will return soon! I have a tour to go on, and when it ends I'm taking a long break, maybe six months or so. What about you? Basketball season starts up soon?" She replied, finding it quite amusing how he had started their first conversation in six years. How long are you back for? Very Nathan, that was for sure.

"Yeah, in three weeks. Coach is pretty tight these days. I think he has high expectations for this season."

"Well, if I know you like I used to, I would say you have pretty high expectations yourself! You always were a sore loser, especially in basketball and NBA Live," Haley giggled, making Nathan shake his head as the childhood memories flooded back. They used to play all the time, and on the few occasions when he actually lost, instead of letting her win like he usually did, he was always in a bad mood afterwards. It was weird how long it had been since their last battle. They would have to do that before she left, Haley noted in her mind.

"Yeah, well, no one knows me like you, Hales," Nathan looked down as Haley's eyes sparkled with joy. He still called her by her nickname. That must mean something. It would mean that he wasn't angry with her anymore, maybe even ready to forgive her. Maybe, somewhere down the line, ready to be with her again?

"I missed that," Haley pointed out, causing his forehead to crinkle in confusion.

"What?" He asked her.

"The way you say my name, or my nickname. I missed you, Nathan," Haley admitted, not one bit ashamed of herself. This, in front of her, was the man of her dreams. And she would let him know it if it was the last thing she did. Nathan Scott was the Danny to her Sandy, the Mickey to her Minnie, the Donald to her Dolly and the David to her Victoria. She just hoped she was still the woman he wanted, and not the Jessica to his Nick or the Britney to his Kevin. That, she didn't know if she could handle at the moment.

Nathan was filled with turmoil at her words. She missed him, she missed his voice and the way he said her name. Did he miss her? Hell yeah, he did. He thought about her a lot, maybe not as much lately as he did at first, but still it was quite often. He missed the way she smiled, the way she swayed her hips when she walked, her laughter and her honest and loving eyes. Those eyes that used to stare at him all day, getting lost in his blue ones. Those eyes that would follow him everywhere, wink at him when she was playful, glare at him when she was mad and glow towards him when she was happy. God, how he had missed her, even if he wasn't supposed to. Even if it would mean destroying everything he had built up in the last two years.

"You want to grab a drink with me, and maybe talk some more? I really want to know more about your life, Nate," Haley said sincerely as her head looked towards an empty table in the back.

"Sure, why don't you secure the table while I go buy you a drink?" Nathan offered like the true gentleman he was.

"All right, Dry Martini with..."

"...With two olives, I know Hales. You're still the same person I once knew, at least in some way," Nathan cut her of as he shrugged and walked towards the bar. Haley rushed towards the table, thinking about his earlier words. _If you only knew how many ways I still am that person, Nathan._

* * *

"...And then she walks up to me, grabs my nose and bites me!" Haley's laugher was heard all over the loud night club as Nathan finished his story. They were sharing memories from college, currently telling each other their weirdest party experience. Nathan was now finished with his two minute lecture about the crazy stalker he once had, and Haley was thinking about what her moment would be.

"What about you? Anything particularly weird happen to you through college?" His eyes smiled towards her, and it felt good. They were talking, they were having fun. She was actually feeling more happy in this moment than ever before in the last six years. His smile could do that to you, she would know.

"Yeah, once I had this totally embarrassing thing happen at a frat party, freshman year," she started, feeling a little insecure about telling him, but decided to anyway. If they couldn't talk about their years apart, they had nothing to work with.

"And I was dancing with this guy, Arthur or Arnold or something..."

"...Sounds like a nerd" Nathan cut in.

"Whatever! He wasn't that much of a nerd. And besides, he was nice!" She argued. The last thing she wanted was for Nathan to mock her for her choice of men since him. Even if she never really had anyone special.

"Nice? Your standards have dropped, I see," And there it was, that stupid, over confident smirk of his. It showed her exactly how satisfied he was with himself in that moment, but she was too happy to care about the details. She was just happy to see that smirk again. She had missed that as well, along with everything else there was about Nathan Scott.

"Shut up! I'm telling you a story about how I managed to totally screw up with him! Basically, I had way too much to drink, and he was all over me. Or the other way around, I don't really remember. Besides, we went up stairs and started making out like horny rabbits, and just when he was about to...touch me or something, I moan out: Nathan,"

Nathan burst out in laughter as Haley buried her head in her hands, hoping he would be cool with that revelation. That it wouldn't be weird for him to hear that she thought about him during pre-sexual intercourse with another man.

"You've got to be kidding?" The look she gave him quickly made him understand that she was completely serious. Something inside him suddenly made him feel a lot better about himself, and about everything that had happened between them. This was evidence that she still thought about him, just like he did about her from time to time.

"Wow, I knew I was good and memorable, but this takes the cake!"

"Shut up! It was so embarrassing! He practically looked at me like I was.. Ehh, I don't even, Urgh! The next thing I know, I wake up alone with all my clothes intact," Haley sighed, thanking higher powers that it wasn't so weird to talk about this stuff for them. Besides, they were best friends before they became lovers!

"Just as well. He was only nice, after all!" Nathan pointed out as Haley playfully poked him in the shoulder. Seeing the smile on her face as she drank up the bottom of her drink, made Nathan smile as well. He loved how fast they were able to get back to each other, even with all their history and current situations. Loud music blasted out through the speakers and filled his mind with what seemed, at the time, like a brilliant idea.

"You wanna dance?" The request filled Haley with hope and joy, but luckily she managed to hide her enthusiasm with a simple nod and a smile. The thought of dancing with him, feeling his body against hers after all these years had her insides melting. Had they not been in a public place, she was sure she would have jumped him. With or without his permission.

Nathan took her hand firmly in his as he led her to the dance floor. He was, in a way, kicking himself in the head for being so careless. He knew how easily he could fall under Haley's spell again, and that would not be good. Not with the circumstances being as they were at that moment. He knew there was no chance for him and Haley, but yet he dared himself to try and see if there still was something there. He couldn't help but wonder, even if it was dangerous.

Haley felt her body move to the rhythm, shaking her hips like there was no tomorrow. And she could feel Nathan replying by grabbing them and pressing her body against his. If you looked from afar, you would surely think they were together. The way they seemed to move in sync and respond to each other was special. A connection like that can't be found everywhere.

Nathan's body was heating up and he could feel how close he was to let the situation take over his mind. Desperately, he tried to remind himself what the consequences would be if he did what he was thinking about, but it didn't seem to do much. Having Haley grind against his manly parts made him lose him mind completely. In a blink of an eye, Nathan turned her around so they were face to face and put his forehead against hers. They were both gasping for air as Haley held his head between her hands and pressed them closer. Their lips were almost touching as they both closed their eyes waited for what was to come.

It was soft, needing and long overdue. Their first kiss in six years. Haley felt like she was flying on a cloud or floating in the sea. Her soft tongue was teasing his as Nathan lost whatever willpower he had left and pressed their bodies closer while deepening the kiss. His hands roamed all over her body while hers stayed glued to his face, afraid of letting go and having the kiss end. This was all she had wanted, and more, when she first came to New York. To see him again was what mattered the most, but to actually get to kiss him and feel close to him again, was so much better!

"You want to get out of here?" Haley suggested as they finally came up for air. Nathan knew it was a bad idea, but nodded anyway, too focused on Haley to think about anything else. She took his hand in hers as they walked towards the nearest exit and disappeared into the dark night. Eyes followed them, and lips smirked towards each other as the two figures blended with the crowd.

* * *

She was slammed against the wall as he attacked her with his lips, again. In the past twenty minutes, they had hardly parted at all. It was like an unsatisfying need within the both of them. Neither could get enough of the other one, and neither wanted it to end. This was six years of passion, finally surfacing and waking up again. It was still there, Haley could feel it. She was pretty sure Nathan could feel it too. They fit so well together, and they always had.

Nathan moved his attention down to her neck as he sucked hard on it, not caring if he left a mark or not. After they left the club, they had got a cab and took it to Haley's hotel where they were currently standing in the elevator. Luckily, no one else had decided they needed to follow the horny superstars up, so they were left to themselves as the ground under them slowed down and signalized that they had reached their destination.

Nathan took a quick glance as he checked the hallway and found it clear. He pulled Haley's body with him as they walked towards her room, their hands touching each other everywhere. When they finally found it, Nathan stayed glued to her neck as Haley twisted the key through the lock and dragged him inside. The door closed with a loud bang as Nathan pushed her against it, his hands moving up her sides to grab her breasts through the top she was wearing. Haley moaned in pleasure as he found them and started massaging them with his large hands. Her own hands found their way to his jacket as she pushed it backwards and forced him to slide it off. After that, she continued by unbuttoning his shirt as she walked them towards the bedroom. On their way there, several other layers of clothing were lost before they fell down on her bed.

Nathan pulled away for a second to catch his breath as his eyes caught the sight of Haley's round breasts, threatening to spill over from her laced bra. Her hair was spread all over the pillow, and she had a slight resemblance to an angel. He couldn't help but smile towards her as she returned it before pushing herself up so she could taste his addicting mouth again. Nathan was happy to respond as his hands found their way behind her back and unhooked her bra so her breasts were in full view. Her rosy nipples shined towards him as he took one of them into his mouth and carefully bit down.

"Oh God..." Haley moaned at the sensation of finally feeling him so close again. Her hands wandered all over his muscular back as she held him as close as possible, terrified of what would happen if she let him go. Haley could feel that she trusted him completely, but she knew it was too good to be true that everything would work out perfectly. The morning would probably bring all kinds of issues to the table, but for some reason she didn't care.

"I missed you..." Nathan could hear her whisper as he kissed his way down her smooth stomach, towards the top of her skirt. He struggled a little with the buttons, but managed to open them after a few tries. The skirt slid down her smooth thighs as his forced it off, leaving her solely in her black thong. Haley closed her eyes as she felt the sensations flowing through her body with his every touch. He glided his hand back up her leg and on the insides of her thighs as a few of his fingers pulled the thong down as well. Lying completely naked in front of him, Haley waited in anticipation for what was to come.

"You're still the most beautiful thing in the world to me, Hales," Nathan said as he found her eyes and placed his hand securely on her stomach. She smiled lovingly towards him as she sat up and placed both her hands on his cheeks. Softly without any force she placed her lips on his in the sweetest and most innocent kiss he had experienced in a long time. Neither bothered to deepen it as they both pulled away and stared into each other's eyes.

"I'm feeling a little undressed here, Babe," Haley bit her lip seductively as she motioned towards the fact that Nathan still had his pants on. He smirked as he let her hands pull down the zipper and helped her remove his pants along with his boxer. They both lied down and Nathan pulled her naked body against his as they just lay there and hugged each other tightly. They both knew what would happen, but first they wanted to enjoy being together again. They had both waited six years for the feeling of the other person's skin against their own, and they both felt like they needed to make it last as long as possible.

After several minutes, Nathan could feel Haley's hand playing softly with the hair under his navel. He closed his eyes as she slid it further down and started teasing the tip of his erection. After a few moments, she grabbed the whole thing and started stroking it at a steady speed. Nathan could feel his eyes roll further back into his head at the sensation she was giving him. It had been so long since he had been able to enjoy foreplay this way. Usually, he was used to just doing it and have it be over with. Sex hadn't been this special since the last time they were together. Suddenly, Haley speeded up and it didn't take long before his juices spilled out over her hand. Nathan opened his eyes to watch Haley lick her hand seductively, this only made him even more eager to feel her again.

In the blink of an eye, he flipped them over. His hand found its way down to her centre and started massaging her clit. Haley moaned loudly as he placed two fingers inside her and rocked them steadily in and out. Their mouths found each other again as her soft tongue licked his lips erotically. He quickened his pace as her deep moans came closer together. Haley grabbed his shoulders tightly as she let go of her first orgasm for the evening. Nathan lay still as they both fought for their breaths.

"You are amazing," Haley whispered when she finally found her voice again. Nathan chuckled a little at her comment, thinking how he could say the same thing about her. He fused their mouths together as his arms wrapped around her and pushed her naked body against his.

"I want you," he finally groaned as Haley flipped him over and straddled his lap. She smiled flirtatiously as she grabbed his hard arousal and guided it inside of her. He was bigger than she remembered, and she could feel him reaching deep inside of her. Slowly, she started rocking up and down and she watched him close his eyes in ecstasy. Nathan was surprised at how she had taken control and was practically riding him like a horse. His hands grabbed her naked ass as he held her in his tight grip. After a few more slides, Haley felt him explode inside her as she came as well. Exhausted, she fell down on top of his chest and placed her head in the crook of his neck.

"Oh, that was good," Nathan groaned as his hands stroked her back lovingly.

"Just what I needed," Haley agreed while chuckling a bit.

"You up for round two?" Nathan smirked as his eyes challenged her playfully.

"You bet, old man," Haley laughed while connecting their lips once more and diving into the sea of addiction that was Nathan Scott. The only man she had ever loved, and still did.

* * *

In the dark of the night, Nathan laid still and listened to her breathe. She was in a deep sleep, sighing softly and clearly feeling very comfortable. Her head was lying against his shoulder with his arms wrapped securely around her shoulders. Her own arm was holding Nathan tightly in her grip, seeming possessive and afraid of letting go. The long, soft hair she had was spread against the pillow behind her. All in all, Nathan wished he could look as happy as she did. But he knew he couldn't.

He was trying hard to make himself understand how things could have gone this far. Images of the previous evening kept flashing through his head, but he couldn't make any sense out of it. He wasn't this guy anymore, and he hadn't been for a long time! Picking girls up at bars and sleeping with them used to be a hobby, but now it was much more serious, especially when the girl was Haley James. He knew he had to break the news to her when she woke up, and she would be anything but pleased. She would probably yell at him and maybe throw something. He knew he certainly deserved it for acting so selfish and careless. There were several hearts involved in this, and Haley's wouldn't be satisfied.

Closing his eyes and trying his hardest to fall asleep, Nathan heard Haley mutter soft words in her sleep. He couldn't quite make out what she was saying, but he was sure he heard his name somewhere between the sighs and moans. Knowing that she was dreaming about him didn't exactly do magic for his tired mind. If anything, it only kept him awake. How had he become such a screw up? Where was the point that turned him into something like this-an unhappy man filled with regrets about his past.

The best thing would have been to never let Haley go. When she first asked him to give up on them, six years ago, he should have said no. In some way, Nathan always knew they would find their way back in the end, but he never wished for it to happen like this. A half-drunken one night stand was definitely not the reunion he wished would encounter between him and the love of his life. He had responsibilities now, and he had worked hard for the life he possessed. Nathan was sure Haley had done the same. This stupid need they felt between each other couldn't do anything but screw up their precious lives.

The best thing would have been to just never let her go. Then maybe they would be happy now. Maybe he would be lying with her in his arms and a gold ring around his finger. With those thoughts of what his perfect life should have been like, Nathan finally fell asleep.

* * *

**Satisfied? I hope so.. But things ain't gonna be easy.. although this story might seem similar to others with plots that are similar, but twist will come and surprises along with them! Stay tuned.. and review please !**


	4. Lovesick Mistake

**Hey! Thanks for reviewing and reading and following this story! Here is the next chapter for you, it's a bit sad, I think :P**

* * *

She would never drink again! That was the promise Haley made herself as she walked around her hotel room with a throbbing head ache and a glass of water. The morning after had been even more horrible than she expected. Not only was her head banging like a war zone, but Nathan was currently standing in her shower, singing like there was no tomorrow. Clearly, alcohol didn't have the same effect on him as it had on her.

When she first woke up in the morning, the bed sheets beside her had been empty. After the questions of what had happened the previous night were answered, she started feeling angry towards Nathan. She felt like a one night stand, although she was convinced she was so much more than that to him. But how could he just leave without a word after their first time together in six years? Of course those emotions went away when she heard the shower running in the bath room.

So there she was, walking around in his shirt, not sure what to do. She figured he wouldn't mind if she borrowed it, and it smelled like him so she really didn't care if he got mad at her or not. It was worth it. But what now? Should she go into the bathroom and surprise him in the shower, or would that make him uncomfortable? Should she order breakfast, or did he plan on leaving when he was finished? Should she just pretend to be asleep so neither would have to deal with the weird conversation they were about to have?

Suddenly, she was forced to think a lot faster as she heard the shower stop and the door open, revealing Nathan in all his glory, only wearing a towel which hung loosely around his hips. Haley's eyes ran over his steamy abdomen before meeting his eyes with a look of insecurity. He looked down as he walked towards her, and she could feel herself doing the same. Neither knew what to say, or they just didn't want to be the first one to speak. Nathan found his boxers on the floor and picked them up along with his jeans. He walked back into the bathroom to put them on before he came back out and stood uncomfortably in front of Haley.

"I.. Err.. I need my shirt back"

With his words, Haley looked into his eyes and noticed the hesitation that lingered there. She took a moment to realize what he had asked her, and suddenly she winced as she started unbuttoning the shirt that was covering her. She could feel her confidence return as Nathan's eyes fixed on her breasts that were now in full view. He hardly managed to take the shirt from her when she handed it to him, that was how mesmerized she made him.

"I see you haven't changed your cologne in the past years," Haley pointed out as Nathan's eyes left her naked chest and fixed on her eyes.

"No." He managed to get out although his voice was hard to hear. Neither knew what to say after this, and while Nathan concentrated on buttoning up his shirt while Haley found a T-shirt by the bed to put on. Nathan started looking for his shoes as Haley sat down on the bed and studied his moves with her eyes.

"We should probably talk." She suggested as he stopped and looked at her once more. She could clearly see that he was debating inside his head on what to say.

"Why?" Nathan finally shrugged. He could tell his response surprised her as her shoulders sunk and left her body a little stunned.

"Because we slept together for the first time in six years, that's why!" Haley let out frustrated as Nathan closed his eyes, not sure what to say.

"Look, Haley, it was a one time thing. Two old friends meeting again and having some fun, nothing more." He dismissed as he found his jacket and put it on. This had Haley on her feet as the anger inside of her grew with every second that passed.

"Having some fun? What about what you said to me last night? About how I am the most beautiful woman in the world for you? Was that just for fun as well?" She challenged him, her eyes scaring him a little.

"No, of course not. I wouldn't lie to you, would I?"

"You tell me!" Haley demanded, feeling herself getting more and more irritated with his behaviour. Why would he dismiss her in such a way? Didn't he feel all the explosive things she did the previous night?

"I have to go," Nathan concluded as he turned around and walked towards the door.

"Nathan! What is wrong with you? Why won't you talk about this?" Haley tried desperately, wishing he wouldn't walk out that door and ruin her perfect plans for the two of them. Everything that had happened had left her with such a large hope for the future that she had lost so many years ago. They were meant to be together, and she had been so stupid not realizing that earlier. Now was her chance to fix everything, but he wouldn't let her have it?

"Listen, tonight the gang is meeting up to go clubbing. Call Brooke, she'll give you the details. We can talk then, but right now I have to go," Nathan explained as his hand found the door handle and opened the door.

"Fine." Haley shrugged irritated as he gave her one last look and a nod.

"Okay, I'll see you. Oh, and one more thing: Let's keep this between us," He finished as he closed the door and walked out, leaving Haley behind not knowing what to think. She didn't even know what had happened. One minute he was telling her how beautiful she was and making love to her, and the next he was walking away saying it was just for fun. And she wasn't even allowed to tell anyone? Haley was starting to realize that getting her old life back would be a bit harder than she had expected...

* * *

"Yeah, I'll be there soon. I promise. Love you too," Nathan ended his conversation as he slammed his phone shut and ran his hands through his hair in a frustrated motion. Nothing had gone the way he planned lately.

First he fell for the temptation that was Haley James, and now his mother was giving him a hard time for disappearing the previous night. He had obligations he had failed, and she wasn't exactly pleased with him. On top of it all, he was late for lunch with his manager, discussing some changes in his contract. What a crappy day! He wasn't all that proud of himself for the way he had treated Haley either. He just couldn't handle her saying anything about what they were, because they weren't anything. What had happened between them was a one time thing, and he didn't think he could handle hearing her say how much more they could be. He realized he hadn't been fair, but if she still had feelings for him, she would be disappointed. There just wasn't any time or room for Haley in his life. She was a part of the past.

"What happened with you last night?"

"Why do you always know where to find me when I want to be alone?" Nathan asked back.

"I asked you first," Lucas pointed out as he came closer and sat down beside his cousin. The court was empty, so that no-one could disturb them.

"Nothing. We talked and ended it," Nathan shrugged, definitely not wanting to tell his curious and wise cousin about his activities with Haley. No one could know. It was strictly between them, and he hoped Haley would respect him enough to keep her mouth shut.

"What I saw on the dance floor wasn't nothing, Nate," Lucas reasoned as he heard his cousin sigh loudly.

"I've got it under control, Luke."

"It didn't look like you had any control last night. To me, it looked like you were about to forget about everything you have on your plate right now and risk it by having a hot and heavy night with your ex-girlfriend!" The silence that filled the air after Lucas was finished speaking would scare a deaf person. Lucas searched for Nathan's eyes, but he refused to meet them.

"I got it under control," Nathan finished the subject with the most secure voice he could find.

"I just worry that she's going to screw it all up again, Nate. You weren't exactly Mr. Happy when she left you the first time. This time, she's a rock star who's touring the country. She's going to leave again, you know that. So don't get too attached this time," Lucas advised, but he could feel Nathan's pride building up. Usually, he wasn't allowed to talk about that period in their lives. The first year of college was a buried subject.

"I'm not going to give her the chance to screw me over again, Lucas. I am not in love with her anymore. I know what I want in life, and it is not Haley James. What we had was a long time ago, and it is going to stay there. I'm not looking for a relationship between us. I'm satisfied with my life. I'm happy! She cannot ruin that." Nathan stubbornly stated, hoping Lucas would just drop the whole subject of Haley. He didn't want to think about her, and he definitely didn't want to talk about her. She was a closed chapter in the book of his life.

* * *

"Personally, I can't believe Nate would risk everything for her. I mean, I love Haley and I loved them together, but she left him the first time around. She had her chance, she screwed it up and now it's gone. She lost it!" Peyton pointed out as she walked down 6th avenue with her best friend on her arm.

"Nathan loves Haley, he always has. True love never changes," Brooke shrugged, seeing a very different side of the case than her best friend.

"But he can't possibly love her the same way he used to, not after six years of silence," Peyton continued to argue.

"Well, as far as I know, her phone didn't ring either so he's not completely innocent on that one!" The two friends stopped for a coffee before they continued their journey towards Haley's hotel where they would meet her. She had called them both earlier and asked them to come over for some girl time, feeling a little robbed for the lack of it the previous night. She hadn't really seen them much after Nathan showed up.

"She dumped him, why would he call?"

"If he loved her and missed her as much as he told us he did while he sat there and sulked with his beer bottle, he would have called her!" Brooke replied while thinking back to how Nathan had been when Haley left: A depressed shadow of his former self turned alcoholic turned full on playboy turned current basketball star. There were a few other periods in there as well, but those were the basics.

"Well, if that is the case, then how can you tell if he still loves her or not?"

"Easy!" Brooke shrugged. "He acted like Nathan last night. Not Nathan Scott, the basketball player who makes more than you do every year in one month, but Nathan. Our old friend who would climb into her window every night, let her do his laundry and make sexual comments towards me every second of every day. I've missed that one. The one that loved her with every bone in his body."

"You really think we could get that one back?" Peyton asked her friend, sort of hoping it was possible. Nathan hadn't been the same without Haley and to be honest, she preferred the old Nathan! He was the one she had originally connected with, not this pod person he had become. Nathan lost himself when Haley walked out of his life, and with that, they all lost something. They lost, not only one, but two friends back then.

"I think anything is possible when it comes to true love," Brooke stated, making it sound a hell of a lot easier than it was in reality. For Nathan and Haley to be together again, so many things would have to step aside. Was that even possible?

"What about their lives? Their careers? They can't just give all that up for each other, right this second. We're not in High School anymore. This is real life, where real people's feelings and hearts are involved. No one can afford to be as careless as they used to be, not even Nathan and Haley."

"Why do I feel like you're on the wrong team here?" Brooke frowned, concerned at how Peyton seemed negative to the new/old idea that concerned Nathan and Haley.

"I don't really want to pick a team. If Nathan decides to go back to Haley, I won't mind all that much. It's his heart, his life and his business. But if he doesn't go back to her, he will still have a nice life. And that will be a choice he finds out is better for him. Nathan knows himself better than I know him," Peyton reasoned.

"But Haley knows him the best!" Brooke argued, determined not to lose this argument. Nathan and Haley were perfect for each other. They always had been, and they always would be.

"Whatever, that is his problem to solve. I don't really want to get involved this time. It's too nasty for my taste."

"Yeah, you just run away when things don't automatically fall into place..." Brooke mumbled under her breath, but Peyton quickly shot her a death glare, clearly stating how pleased she was with that comment.

"I do not!" She defended herself. "Jake cheated on me, and got another girl pregnant! I don't really see how that as a bad excuse to run away..."

"...You know just as well as I do that Jake never would have looked at another girl if you hadn't completely ignored him and buried yourself in your studies!" Brooke broke her off.

"Says the girl who dumped her boyfriend, after he spent his entire senior year of High School writing a novel about their fantastic relationship, only because she felt they needed a break. Way to go, Cupid! I didn't see you put all that effort into your failing relationship with Luke! But when he found happiness with Lindsay, two years after you dumped him, THEN you got jealous and angry with him. You might not get me when it comes to Jake, but I sure as hell don't get you when it comes to Luke either!" Peyton blew out in an angry voice.

"Sorry, didn't mean to hurt your feelings. My point was just that maybe Nathan and Haley got this second chance because they were supposed to use it. If you got a second chance with Jake, wouldn't you take it? Look past the whole baby deal," Brooke shrugged as she stopped and faced Peyton, signalling with her eyes that she needed the truth. A little light in the dark to keep her hope alive.

"Maybe, if I had been able to do it all over again, I would. But now, so much has happened. My life isn't anything like it used to be. I don't know if I have room for Jake anymore," Peyton honestly answered.

"Like Nathan doesn't have room for Haley?"

"Ask him," Peyton smiled weakly at her best friend, hoping her answer wouldn't crush Brooke's positive spirit. That was one of the many qualities she loved about Brooke. How she could look at life from such a positive angle. Peyton never had the ability to see things from such bright sides. That was Brooke's thing!

Brooke and Peyton walked into Haley's hotel and got in the elevator. The rest of their way towards Haley's room went by in silence. Neither felt the need to say anything, as they both were too busy thinking about how their lives had come so far from what they used to be. Brooke knocked on Haley's door and they heard feet walking towards it and the sound of the lock clicking.

"Hey guys, I didn't know you'd be here so soon. I'm not even dressed yet," Haley fumbled with her large shirt as she looked down, clearly embarrassed about how she presented herself.

"That's why we're here! We have come to make you beautiful for tonight. Who knows, maybe your future husband will be there," Brooke winked at her as she walked past Haley and into the suite. Peyton and Haley shared a knowing look as they followed her inside.

"Wow, did you have a busy night?" Peyton pointed out as she took in the sight of Haley's clothes spread all over the floor.

"Interesting how they seem to lie in a trail, going towards your bedroom. Did you do the dirty last night?" Brooke carried on as they both stared as Haley who suddenly felt really small. She searched her brain for an excuse that would do, but seemed to take too long.

"Erm.."

"..You don't have to come up with some stupid excuse, Hales. We're not stupid. You had sex with Nathan, didn't you?" Peyton looked her directly into the eyes as she spoke, her voice dripping with something that seemed extremely disapproving.

"We... Um... We just..." Haley struggled finding the words to describe the previous events. What could she say? Nathan wanted her to keep quiet anyway, but why?

"It didn't mean anything. It was just two old friends, having some fun."

"Is that you or Nathan speaking?" Brooke frowned, not understanding how Haley could say something like that after pining for him for so many years.

"I really don't know what to say," Haley shrugged, covering her body with her arms and looking down.

"Well, that is in the past. We live in the present, so now we have to get you ready for tonight. You need to look fabulous!" Brooke smiled as she dragged Haley into her bedroom to find something to wear. Peyton stood behind with a nauseous feeling in her stomach. Someone was going to get hurt, big time...

* * *

Once again, Haley found herself surrounded with alcohol and the smell of sex. She could vaguely remember the events that had occurred the night before, but she knew she wouldn't risk it again. Her consumption of alcohol would stay moderate tonight, if Nathan happened to be in the mood for another "mistake" she wanted to enjoy and remember it for what it was worth.

Her mind hadn't wandered from him all day. The way he touched her, kissed her, held her and made love to her all night was still planted in her mind. Hell, she had a hickey the size of Brazil to prove the passion they'd shared the previous night. She wondered if he would show, or if he would bail. Knowing Nathan, he always wanted to stay out of uncomfortable situations, if he had the chance. But Haley was determined to believe that he wouldn't just stand her up. They had shared something great together, and she knew he valued that just as much as she did.

"You seem nervous," Lucas pointed out as Haley chewed her lip for the millionth time since they'd arrived. They were currently sitting by the bar, sipping slowly on their drinks.

"I was just wondering if Nathan would show tonight or not," Haley explained as she looked down at her hands, not wanting to meet Lucas' eyes and see what he was feeling towards her: pity.

"A lot of things have changed, you do realize that, right Hales?" Lucas forced her to meet his eyes, now they were filled with seriousness and a hope that she would understand what he was considering, and how much she could end up being hurt.

"I've changed as well, Luke. But I'm still in love with him, that will never change. He's the one for me, and he always has been," Haley sighed deeply, but managed to pressure out how determined she was to have Nathan back.

"Haley, you really have to protect your heart in this. Please, don't open up so much before you know you won't get hurt!" Lucas seemed a little frantic as he spoke. It almost seemed like he wanted her to take it back.

"Luke.." She started, but quickly stopped when she noticed Nathan walking towards them He looked nervous, almost terrified of what was about to happen. Haley frowned towards him, but smiled as he came closer. For some reason, he refused to meet her eyes, but she forced him to do so as he stopped in front of them.

"Hi," He quickly got out as Lucas gave him a warning look.

"I wasn't sure if you would show tonight," Haley smiled weakly as she stepped closer to him, but Nathan closed his eyes as he sighed deeply.

"Listen, Hales, there is something I have to tell you."

"What is it?" Haley chewed on her lip again as she looked at him with fear in her eyes. The tension between them was heavy as he opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm..."

"Sweetie, there you are!"

Haley quickly fixed her eyes on the brunette that had come up behind Nathan and placed her arm around him. She was a lot taller than Haley, and her legs were to die for. The long, shiny hair seemed to flow down her body and on her face was planted the most captivating smile Haley had ever seen. A realization began to fill up inside her as she noticed the sad look on Nathan's face.

"Who's your friend?" The brunette asked him as she looked kindly towards Haley.

"This is Haley. I knew her in High School," Nathan quickly introduced her as he tried his best to avoid the pleading look Haley had in her eyes. He could see her heart breaking through them, as he had seen once before.

"Aren't you gonna introduce me?" The brunette laughed lightly as she forced his attention back on her.

"Yeah, umm," Nathan started as he took a deep breath. "This is Gabriella, she's my girlfriend."

"Oh..." Haley managed to get out as she plastered a fake smile on her features. "Hi."

"You are so modest," Gabriella laughed as she poked Nathan lightly. She turned towards the smaller woman and smiled again.

"Nice to meet you, Haley. Nathan never talks about his past and where he grew up. Aside from Luke, Brooke and Peyton, I don't know a thing about his life before college! I'm Gabriella Parker." She offered her hand for Haley to shake as she looked at her with a happy expression.

"Well, that will be Gabriella Scott in a few weeks," She laughed as Haley caught a glimpse of the large, shiny diamond ring that rested perfectly on Gabriella's finger.

* * *

**Dum dum dum.. that's all for now! Leave a comment and tell me what you think!**


	5. It's You

**Wow, I can't believe it took me a year to update.. I'm such a bad girl, I know.. I promised myself I would never give up on a story, and I'm really trying hard to stick to that promise. So I finally came up with the next chapter for you guys! I hope you like it, I'm in desperate need for some goof feedback and some inspiration! Thanks for reading! **

**Beccy**

* * *

Her plan didn't work. Luckily, that didn't matter all that much. It still hurt. When she first went into the club, she promised she would stay almost sober, saving her memory for a time when she would be able to enjoy it. After her disaster of a run in with Nathan and his, apparently, fiancée she had drowned herself in alcohol, trying to escape the throbbing pain she felt inside. Her heart was breaking more and more with every drink she drowned. In the end, she found herself throwing up everything she had inside as she embraced the toilet like it was her late great grandmother. When she was exhausted from all her activities, Lucas found her and forced her to leave with him. He brought her back to her hotel and carefully assisted her in her bed.

Haley could vaguely remember crying in his arms and soaking him in tears, but she wasn't sure how long he had stayed or when he had left. She only woke up in the morning with an amazingly throbbing head ache and a very strong urge she would throw up again soon.

She grabbed her pillow and pressed it tightly to her face. She could smell him in it. His perfume was still there after their pathetic one night stand, two nights ago. The familiar tears made their presence known as her body shook from the force of them. After what seemed like an eternity, she got out of bed and walked towards her suitcase. Going through it, she found a picture she always kept with her. It was taken at the beach one night, the summer after graduation. It was only two months before they broke up. That night, Brooke had sneakily snapped a photo of them without them knowing, and framed it for Haley afterwards.

It was a perfect symbol of their love. He was holding her so tight. It looked like he would never let her go. How ironic. Her smile was so big, it looked like she was about to break from the force of it. Even more ironic.

Haley just wanted to go back there. She wanted to go back to that beach and to the comforting grip that Nathan possessed...

FLASHBACK

"_I love you, you know that?" He whispered in her ear as she got even more comfortable in his arms. The sand under them accompanied to the calm feeling that surrounded them. The sea made soft, romantic sounds and the voices of their friends only blended into the atmosphere. Nothing mattered but them – Haley and Nathan – together._

"_Well, you remind me every day," Haley's soft laugher filled his ears as smiles spread across both of their faces. _

"_Yeah, __because_ _I do. You are the most perfect thing I've ever seen, and I am so happy that someone like you wants to be with a jackass like me."_

"_Hey! What are you talking about? You are the man of my dreams, Nathan Scott. I love you with every bone in my body! Don't ever doubt yourself, okay?" Haley spok__e seriously_ _as she turned around in his arms to face him completely. She took his head in her hands and their eyes connected__in a deep bond._

"_Only if you promise to never leave me," Nathan replied, his voice so filled with eternal love for her that it scared her a little bit. Suddenly, a flash went off somewhere, but they were too occupied_ _with each other to care._

"_I will always love you, Nathan Scott. You're the one for me," she breathed as she pressed his lips to hers and embraced him with her arms. Nathan's hands came up her back and held her close to __his body as he deepened the kiss, showing her just how deep his love was. _

"_Break it up, love birds. You're making me nauseous!" Peyton's mood killing voice called out as they broke apart and smiled blissfully at each other. Haley turned to laugh at Peyton's disgusted face, but Nathan's eyes stayed focused on his beautiful girlfriend. When she finally turned her head back to him, she was met with his serious expression._

"_What?" Haley's smile fell a bit as she placed one hand on his cheek and frowned slightly._

"_Marry me."_

END OF FLASHBACK

Haley shook her head as she tried to bury the memory, sending the frame crashing into the wall beside the bed and breaking it into a thousand pieces. She sat herself against the wall as she hugged her knees and continued to cry. Suddenly, her guitar caught her eye and she carried her sorrow filled body over the floor to grab it as well as some paper and a pen. She closed her eyes as the words flew into her mind, and made her busy writing them down.

After about an hour of writing and jamming on her guitar, Haley looked satisfied at the finished products. She had written two songs, one about a guy she loved and the other one about how he had moved on though she still loved him. It hit her right in the face where her sudden inspiration had come from, and she recognized the lyrics evidently in her own, pathetic life. She let her fingers slowly ride over the strings on her guitar as her fingers formed the chords to one of the songs she had written. As a way to escape her hurt, Haley started singing along, letting her heart speak for itself.

_If tomorrow never comes,_

_I would want just one thing_

_I would tell it to the stars and the sun,_

_I would write it for the world to see_

_And it's you_

_The light changes when you're in the room_

_Oh, it's you_

_Oh, it's you_

_If tomorrow never comes, _

_I would want just one wish_

_To kiss your quiet mouth_

_Then trace the steps of my fingertips_

_And it's you_

_The light changes when you're in the room_

_Oh, it's you_

_Oh, it's you_

_Oh, it's you_

_Oh, it's you_

_Oh, it's you_

_Oh, it's you_

She finished singing and suddenly realized that she had begun crying again. The tears covered the sheet of paper where the lyrics were printed. Her heart was simply clouded with tears, and sadness, and it was all her fault. During all her crying, all the times she had felt sorry for herself in the past twelve hours, all the pain she felt: It was all her fault.

She was the one who pushed him away, and told him to move on. She said those words to him: I want you to move on. Why in the world had she done that? What was the point of being in love with someone, if you told them to find someone else? Sure, if they had stayed together, she wouldn't be a singer or living her dream. She would be Haley Scott, the wife of NBA star Nathan Scott. Rock star Haley James wouldn't exist if she had put her dreams aside and followed Nathan to Duke.

There wasn't a doubt in Haley's mind that Nathan would have made her happy, even if that meant giving up her dreams for him. He would have done anything to make sure she was satisfied with their life, and she would be. But there would always be a "what if" in her mind. What if she had followed her dream to Stanford? Where would she be?

Well, now she knew: She would be 23, alone, miserable and still hopelessly in love with Nathan Scott. The man who was engaged to be married to some gorgeous model slash wannabe-actress. Haley had googled Gabriella Parker the first chance she got. It seemed like she was the daughter of some big time millionaire who owned a basketball team or something. She had dropped out of college to do some acting, but didn't quite make it there, so she turned to modelling instead. Probably because it involved less talking and more body language. About two years ago, she had shacked up with the newest addition to the New York Knicks, who she now was engaged to. His name, was Nathan Scott.

When the wedding was to take place, the profile didn't say. Clearly it hadn't been updated for a while. But there were plenty of pictures of the happy couple, posing at numerous celebrity events with big, happy smiles on their faces. It especially made Haley sick to see pictures of them from some of their romantic vacations where they were engrossed in heavy make out sessions on the beach. It stung deep inside her as she saw the same look on Nathan's face as he had showed her so many times: the one that said he was in love. And apparently, he was.

Haley kicked herself in the head countless times for not bothering to pay more attention to celebrity gossip. She used to read about Nathan, herself and other people she knew, but when she came across an article about her growing relationship with Matt Damon, she stopped. Not only was he married with kids, but she had never even met him! It was too ridiculous to even finish reading. After that, Haley only paid attention to Nathan's basketball career. She watched some games from time to time, and she even went to see him once when he played against the Lakers. Of course, he didn't know about that. It was a secret she hadn't told anyone, and she didn't plan to anytime soon.

Suddenly, she was brought out of her depressed thoughts by a few careful knocks on the door. It certainly couldn't be Brooke or Peyton, they knocked a lot harder. She figured it was Luke, so she wrapped a large zip up hood around her before she went to answer the door. Not caring to peek through the little hole in the door, she quickly opened it, only to find Nathan outside.

"Hi," he carefully let out after staring at her shocked expression for about two minutes.

"What are you doing here?" Haley blurted out, not caring to go through all the pleasant and polite stuff first.

"I wanted to talk to you," he continued. "Can I come in?"

"I...ehh..." Haley sighed, not sure exactly what to say. She didn't feel comfortable around Nathan in her state. She was extremely vulnerable at the moment, and she looked like a crying mess with make up all over her face and large bags under her eyes.

"Please, Haley. I need to talk to you," he pleaded with his eyes and his voice as she ran a hand through her hair and stepped aside, letting him into her mess of a suite. She didn't really care that he would see the broken picture, because it showed him how much she was hurting. She knew it was selfish, but she didn't really care. Deep inside, Haley was mad at him. He slept with her, told her she was the most beautiful thing in his world and led her on, only to surprise her with the fact that he was engaged! She had a right to be pissed with him!

"I'm kind of busy, so just say what you gotta say and go," Haley spoke coldly as she met his eyes where she saw the most broken look she had seen there since she had dumped him.

"Haley..." he started as his voice cracked, causing him to have to pause. "When you left me, I was a complete mess. When I lost you, I lost everything. I almost lost basketball as well, only because I was too miserable to really care about it anymore. You hurt me so badly. I didn't even know how to go on without you..."

"Why?" Haley cut him off. "I broke up with you because you were given a great chance to do something great with your life. I loved you with everything in me, but for you to have a shot at achieving your dream, I had to give you up. There was no way our love would have survived if we didn't have any time to take care of it. I felt it was better for us to break up before we had to go through unnecessary pain and do it anyway. I actually had a vision that when we were done with college, we could have it back. I waited for you, because I loved you. You, on the other hand, had no problem crawling into bed with someone else!"

"You dumped me, Haley! Against my wishes! I loved you more than I loved life itself, and I would have given up Duke for you if that meant keeping you in my life!" Nathan argued, hopelessly defending himself.

"Do you think I would have been able to live with that? Seeing you sit on your ass and sulk for the rest of your life because you didn't take a shot when you had one. I could never do that, Nathan, and neither could you. I know you wanted me to follow my dream, just as much as I wanted for you to follow yours! So why can't you see that I made a decision that worked out in the best possible way for the both of us!" Haley yelled as the tears returned to her eyes and streamed down her face.

"Because that decision didn't bring me anything but heartbreak, that's why!"

"And you think _I_ was happy?" Haley challenged him, feeling like her ears leaked with steam.

"You sure seemed like you could live with it, like it worked for you!" He let out, closing his eyes and telling himself that this wasn't what he had come to her suite for. He was there to apologize and see that she was okay, not argue about the past and the decisions they couldn't correct now.

"No, I made it work for me. I buried myself in work and music so I wouldn't have to spend every free moment missing you. And I waited for you to come back to me, or for a chance to go to wherever you were. And when I did, I came straight to New York when the label game me some time off, only to find you engaged to someone else!" Haley screamed as she furiously tried to wipe away the tears that wouldn't seem to stop falling.

"How was I supposed to know that, Haley? You froze me out of your life! How was I supposed to know that I had to wait for you? You never told me that, did you?" He spoke in a calmer tone, hoping not to upset her further.

"You just were! If you loved me as much as you said you did, you would have waited for me. Shame on me, huh?" She shook her head as she started pacing around, not sure where to go or what to do.

"What is that supposed to mean? I loved you with everything I had, Haley! But it wasn't enough for you. And why didn't you just call me, or write. Something?"

"I did write! Every song I've ever written, was for you, Nate! Everything is about you, and how much I love you. Clearly, you haven't even noticed!" Haley exclaimed as she covered her head in her hands, not wanting him to see any more of her tears. Nathan fell silent as he saw how broken she was. He knew he shouldn't have done anything with Haley when he met her again, but he couldn't help it. He would always need Haley, always want her.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" Her voice broke with emotion as she spoke so low, he could barely hear her.

"I can't be around you anymore. You need to leave," she continued as she stood up and walked towards her closet. On the way, she didn't see all the pieces of broken glass, and she winced as she felt a piece enter her foot.

"Ow!" She exclaimed as she hopped towards the bed and sat down to examine her foot.

"What in the world? Why is there glass everywhere?" Nathan asked as he took in the sight of all the broken glass.

"Just leave, Nathan" Haley sighed as she used her nail to try and get the glass out. Nathan's eyes caught the sight of the frame, lying face down on the floor. He walked over to it and picked it up, shocked to see the picture on the other side. His heart broke for the both of them as he saw the memory of the most loving relationship the world had ever seen, and now it was gone. Sadness stirred up inside him as he thought about how happy they used to be. Look at them now: strangers.

"That was the day I proposed to you."

FLASHBACK

"_Marry me."_

_Haley's mouth fell open as she stared at him. Had he just said what she thought he had said? _

"_Are you crazy? We are __eighteen_ _years old, Nathan. We can't get married!" Haley exclaimed as she smiled towards him, laughing a little at how silly his suggestion was._

"_Why not? It's legal! And we love each other!" Nathan reasoned as Haley stopped laughing and looked at him in a more serious __manner__._

"_You're serious?"_

"_Of course I am. I love you, Haley. You're the only girl I could ever marry." Nathan smiled as his eyes searched hers for an answer. She looked at him for several minutes before she smiled as well __and kissed him softly. She leaned back and looked deeply back into his eyes._

"_Someday, I will marry you, Nathan Scott. I promise."_

END OF FLASHBACK

"Yeah, I guess someday just got a hell of a lot shorter, huh?" Haley joked sarcastically as she jumped towards the bathroom for a pincer to remove the glass with. Nathan followed her into the room where he saw how much she struggled with it. He carefully placed her foot in his lap before he took the pincer from her and carefully removed the glass with his steady hand. When he was finished he found some sterilising water and cleaned the small wound. To finish it off, he blew a quick breath on it and smiled up at Haley.

"Better?"

"Please stop, Nathan. Please, just go. I'm a mess, and I can't be around you right now without totally breaking down, so please, if you ever loved me, leave me alone."

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Gaby before, and I'm sorry I acted like a jerk when we first met. I never wanted to hurt you, Haley..."

"Then why did you?" She cut him off, suddenly feeling angry again.

"I don't know. I guess you'll always be my weak spot, Hales. I guess you'll always be the woman of my dreams. But you're too late," he breathed as she looked longingly into his deep blue orbs.

"I'm sorry, but I moved on, like you told me to. And I found someone who makes me happy, and that's what you need to do as well..."

"Shut up, Nathan! I really can't listen to you talking about how I should find happiness with someone else. I love you. I've always loved you. Ever since the first time you slept in my bed, or the first time you left your dirty underwear on my bedroom floor, I've loved you. And I always will. So please don't preach to me about moving on when my heart has just been broken into a million pieces, once again," she finished as her tears returned and streamed down her face.

"I never wanted to hurt you, Hales! I just need you to understand that I can't be your Nathan again. I have obligations and a woman who loves me, and who thinks I'm this perfect guy who would give her the world if she asked. But the truth is that you will always be the woman of my dreams, Hales. You were my first love, and I'll always love you. I'm just not in love with you anymore."

Haley gave him one last broken look as he stood up, kissed her forehead and walked out of her suite, leaving her alone to think about what he had just said. It was now official, the super couple who would be together forever would never again be together. He wasn't in love with her anymore, and he was getting married to an extremely gorgeous woman who beat Haley at everything. Of course he wouldn't still be in love with a nobody like her. She wasn't good enough for him anymore, and he was finished with her.

With those thoughts, Haley sat herself in the shower and put the water on, letting it flow down her fully clothed body. The sound was so loud, no one would hear her heartbroken cries or care to check on her. She had no one. Nothing left to live for. She turned the water onto the coldest level as she continued to sob hysterically. Her body felt cold, and she could feel herself fall asleep as her lip started trembling and her skin turned blue.

She didn't hear the phone, or the knock on the door. Neither did she hear the key twisting in the lock or the steps that came towards the bathroom. Not even the voice that called out for her, could she hear. And when the person finally entered the bathroom, she didn't see the person come towards her or hear him scream her name. Everything just went black.

"HALEY!"

* * *

**Da duummm.. Yeah, so that's what I have for you guys! Song lyrics are Michelle Branch - It's You.. Please tell me what you think! **

**Lax, my friend, I don't know if you still read this, but thanks for your help and support! **


	6. Just Hold Me

**Hey everyone! Sorry it took me this long to update, but I'm back with another chapter for you! Thanks for all the great reviews! I know you all think Nathan is the biggest ass in the world, but I think he has his reasons.. And I was actually surprised at how strongly you reacted to his conversation with Haley. I tried to make him turn her down in a gentle way, but I guess you felt it was very dramatic. Anyways, I hope you like the next chapter! **

* * *

She breathed heavily, feeling the warm covers of her bed surround her and a soft hand gently stroking her arm to keep her warm. She didn't want to wake up. She wanted to stay in the comfortable bed forever, with the feeling of someone that cared about her near. With Nathan gone, that feeling went away as well. She still had a few close friends, but no one could comfort her as well as Nathan. Too bad he wasn't there anymore. Then she remembered; he didn't love her anymore.

Her previous events were a blur. She could remember Nathan stopping by and trying to apologize, which she really couldn't care less about. His apologies meant nothing to her if they weren't spoken in the name of love. Next thing she remembers is him telling her that he's not in love with her anymore, her going into the ice cold shower.. And after that, everything is black.

Slowly, Haley twists her head upwards to see the face of her gentle rescuer. She let's out a gasp as she sees who he is. Why would he be here? Why would he be holding her, warming her up? How did he know when to come? Could he feel it, those heartbreaking feelings she possessed? He did know her in and out, but could he really have known that she needed him so much in that moment.

"How are you feeling?" His voice brings her out of her internal debate, and she forces herself to meet his eyes. They are shining with concern, and she suddenly gets a warm feeling in her entire body at the thought of him caring so deeply for her. There has always been something special about him, and she's sorry it took her so long to act on it. Is she had known how deeply they'd connect, she would have acted on it a long time ago.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice is fragile, much like she is feeling. Her whole body feels weak, and she can't even find the strength to sit up properly in his arms.

"I'm here for you" He answers like it's the simplest thing in the world. Why wouldn't he be? He always knows what's going on with her, and cares when she's in pain. It's like a second nature to him, after knowing her for so many years.

"Thank you" Haley manages to get out before she feels her eyelids close again. Even breathing hurts, not even his presence can't help that. But being able to lie in his arms comforts her. It makes it all a little bit easier. She is so lucky to have him, she is fully aware of that.

"You're welcome. I tried to come sooner, but you know how it is" He explains as she gets the feeling that he's ashamed of himself. For which reason, she can not understand. At least he's there. At least he cares, that is more than enough.

"How did you know where to find me?" She wonders out loud, slightly thanking God that he sent him to her at such a depressing moment. It was much needed, that was for sure.

"I called your label. They told me where to find you. I think they pretty much know not to stop me from getting to you after so many years, Hales. I even think Helga is developing a crush on me!" He chuckled as Haley smiled, remembering the sweet, yet extremely naïve, woman working as her agent's personal assistant. She had always fancied him, Haley knew it. What was there not to fancy? He was pretty God damn perfect, at least in her eyes.

"What in the world were you doing, Hales?" He finally asks, but is only met with silence. He knows how hard being around him must be for her, and he wishes there was something else he could do. Unfortunately, there isn't anything he can do for her at this point. At least not until she is ready to tell him what it was that broke her fragile heart this time around. He's been in this position countless times, holding her while she cries. It's weird, how much one person can do to break another one's heart. He could never understand why she made it so difficult for them, but he knew she had her reasons. And looking at their lives now, he also knew her choice was the right one.

"I don't know" She finally answers as she turns her head further into his chest, taking in the familiar scent. He smells good, she can't deny that.

"What happened?" The question hits her right in the face like a wall of bricks. She felt like there was nothing she could say to describe it. Which words should she use? How could she possibly tell him what she was feeling. He knew there was something seriously wrong with her, but to what degree?

"He's not in love with me anymore"

It was the simplest, yet most hurtful line she could come up with. Just saying it brought tears to her eyes. It made it all so much more real when she uttered the words herself. The thought of it hurt worse than possible, but the words nearly killed her. After loving each other for 7 years; he was done. But she was nowhere near being over him. Her life didn't make sense without him in it, so she was pretty much lost now. Unsure of what to do next, or in which direction to step. How could she continue without her guiding light?

"He said that?" He asked her, giving her a look of pity and sympathy. One she didn't particularly appreciate, that was. She hated pity! It always made her feel little and useless. Having other people feel sorry for her was not the way she wanted to live her life.

Haley only nodded, being at a loss for words. What more was there to say? He didn't love her anymore, it was as simple as that. Yet, it was more complicated and confusing than ever. When they spent the night together, he had made love to her with such passion, she was sure they'd find their way back to each other shortly. But after his latest statements, she knew it was all a lie. But since when had he become one that would lie to her? That wasn't the Nathan she remembered. That was not the love of her life.

"It's gonna be okay, Hales" He comforted her as she felt the dreaded tears return to her eyes.

"How can you say that? Nothing is okay! He's not in love with me anymore, and he's marrying this perfect, little rich girl with long, silky hair and captivating, green eyes. She's everything he could ever want, and therefore; I don't matter to him anymore. How is that okay?" His heart broke for her, once again, like it always did when she talked about Nathan. What was it that wasn't good enough for Nathan about her? Haley was probably the most understanding, loving and caring woman he had ever met, and he trusted her with his life. Why couldn't Nathan do the same? He really didn't understand that one.

"What am I going to do now?" Her broken whisper was almost too low to hear, but he heard it. He heard every single word, and he realized, like so many times before, that Haley would never be happy unless it was with Nathan. He was her soul mate, the one she would always compare other men to and always come to the conclusion that they weren't. Nothing would be good enough for her if she couldn't have the one she really wanted. He was scared that she would never learn to love again, or be happy. Her smile was way too beautiful to be wasted on blinded idiots like Nathan Scott. Once they had been such good friends, but now he couldn't even recognize the man he read or heard about. But maybe that was the difference. The man he knew, was a boy. This version of Nathan was grown up, a man, and with that came responsibilities and respect for those who treated him the way he deserved.

* * *

He wondered what she was doing, how she was feeling, if she was sad.. Every single thing he lied his eyes upon somehow reminded him of her. Regular objects would all link themselves to her in a funny way. Why had she done this to him? Why had she come back into his life and screwed him up again? He was happy with Gaby. She made him smile and laugh, and she had been able to make him forget the pain of losing Haley. At least until she decided to show up again and seduce him into her unforgettable soul.

And the timing was just great, ironically speaking. He was three weeks away from marrying his fiancée, the daughter of his boss. Breaking up with her was out of the question. She was kind, loving and stable. She wasn't such an emotional wreck, like Haley was. No, Gaby was good for him. She was exactly the woman he needed to be happy. But she wasn't more. And most of all, she wasn't Haley.

"What are you thinking about?" The seductive voice asked in a hot breath against his ear. Wrapping her hands around him, Gaby bit his earlobe carefully and made him relax against her.

"How much I love you" Nathan muttered, not sure if he was in the mood for talking to her in that moment. She was, after all, sort of the other woman. The one who had occupied his heart while its original owner was on vacation. But now she was back, so who owned it now?

"I love you too. I can't wait to marry you. Only three weeks left!" She squealed as she hugged him harder from behind.

"I know. You finally figured which cake you wanted?" Nathan asked, trying to take his mind off the heartbroken woman he had devastated merely an hour earlier. Why wouldn't she stop following him in his mind? Why wouldn't she just go away and leave him alone. She had no problem 5 years ago, so why not now?

"Of course. I would be freaking out if everything wasn't going as scheduled now. By the way, remember that we're going away next weekend! I can't wait to spend some relaxing time with our friends, away from the big city life" She laughed.

Damn, there was that. He was no where in the mood for that trip, but she was so excited about it, he couldn't refuse to go. Why in the world had he agreed to it in the first place? When she first suggested that they should spend a relaxing weekend in the woods one week before the wedding, along with their friends, he didn't think too much about it. But now, Haley was back, and Nathan knew what that meant. Brooke, Peyton and Luke would never go and leave her alone in New York without anyone to spend time with her. So either, they would have to cancel, which would devastate Gabriella, or they would have to bring Haley along for the weekend. She would probably not agree to that anyway, which would again ruin things for Gaby. Why was this so complicated? The whole point with the trip was for them to relax, not worry or stress even more than usual..

Nathan knew how much the trip meant to Gaby, but he also knew he had to apologize to Haley and hope she would come, just for the chance to spend some time in the mountains. It was pretty beautiful up there, at Gaby's father's cabin, and he was sure Haley would enjoy it. She had always been a sucker for beautiful nature. But she wouldn't come if things were the way they were between them at the moment, and therefore he had to make sure they could be friends.

That's ironic, he laughed to himself. Nathan and Haley, friends again. Not lovers or soul mates, but simply friends. They hadn't done that in a few years, and he didn't know if he still knew how to. Could they just go back 7 years in time? To a place where she was secretly in love with him, but he was too oblivious to notice. A place where she would put up a strong façade, and accept him into her bed when he came home late from having his party time with Rachel. Where she would to his laundry and defend him whenever people made comments or assumptions about his personality. Could they go back? NO, he didn't think so.

But maybe, they could move forward...

* * *

"I'm telling you, I'm fine!" He still wouldn't believe her, and his eyes shined with doubt as she put her bravest smile on. She knew just as well as him that she was lying through her teeth, but she had to, for her own sake. She needed to convince herself that she would be okay, even if she felt like there was no point in moving forwards any longer.

"I actually wrote two new songs today. You want to hear them? I could use your excellent feedback!" She smiled weakly at him as his sceptical eyes studied her closely before giving in.

"Of course, Sweetie. I'm always interested in your work. Show me what you've got" He encouraged her as he watched her reach for her guitar and sit down next to him. She put herself in the right position as she prepared herself to sing.

_Comfortable as I am_

_I need your reassurance_

_Comfortable as you are_

_You count the days_

_But if I wanted silence_

_I would whisper_

_If I wanted loneliness_

_I'd choose to go_

_And if I'd like rejection_

_I'd audition_

_And if I didn't love you_

_You would know_

_And why can't you just hold me?_

_And how come it is so hard?_

_And do you like to see me broken?_

_And why do I still care?_

_Still care_

_You say you see the light now_

_at the end of this narrow hall_

_I wish it didn't matter_

_I wish I didn't give you all_

_But if I wanted silence_

_I would whisper_

_If I wanted loneliness_

_I'd choose to go_

_And if I'd like rejection_

_I'd audition_

_And if I didn't love you_

_You would know_

_And why can't you just hold me?_

_And how come it is so hard?_

_And do you like to see me broken?_

_And why do I still care?_

_Poor little misunderstood baby_

_No one likes a sad face_

_But I can't remember life without him_

_I think I did have good days_

_I think I did have good days_

_And why_

_Why can't you just hold me?_

_And how come it is so hard?_

_And do you like to see me broken?_

_And why do I still care?_

She finished with a sad smile as she turned her eyes over at him, trying to see if she could read his thoughts. His face was serious, and she could see that he was in deep thoughts. His forehead was wrinkled together, and his eyes almost looked like they were in pain. The sort of pain he felt for her, surely.

"Please say something" Haley muttered, wanting desperately to hear what he thought. She really put her feelings into that song, and him being such a close friend, she really cared about his opinion. He was always the first one to hear her new songs, and since he was such a talented song writer himself, she knew she could trust his opinions.

"I see your inspiration hasn't changed" He mumbled, looking her straight in the eyes. "When are you going to stop writing love songs to him, Hales? He hasn't gotten the message yet, why do think this would make a difference?"

"You don't like it" She concluded, not even bothering to ask further.

"It's a great song, and there is definitely a deep message hidden there. But don't you think you should be focussing on writing songs that will get you passed this, other that dig yourself deeper into it. You have got to get over him, Haley. It's the only was you'll ever be free" He advised, hoping she wouldn't take it the wrong way.

"It's not that simple! I'm still in love with him!" Haley argued back, feeling a sudden urge to defend her love for Nathan. It would never disappear, it was way too deep.

"Don't you think I know that? I've been where you are, I now how it feels. But, Haley, you have got to follow my example and use your music as a way of dealing with your problems, in stead of using it as your personal pity party" His voice was calmer now, not wanting to upset her further. He only wanted her to take his advice.

"I'm sorry, I know you've been there. I do. I was there, remember? And I admire you for your strength, I really do. But I just can't seem to write anything that will help me move on. I'm in way too deep, way over my head! I can't just let it go. I have to fight.."

"..You fought, Haley. You fought and you lost. Deal with it. Use music as a way to work through the pain. This is what makes you special. The way you're able to connect with your music, and really deliver something pure and honest. This is what makes you the fantastic artist that you are! I believe in you, Hales. I do"

"Thanks. I know you do. You've been my support for so long. I don't know where I'd be without you!" Haley laughed at herself, feeling stupid for getting into a silly argument she knew was pointless. He was right, and she realized that. But could she really let him go? Was she brave enough to let Nathan go? She didn't know..

"You'd be fine. I'm just here for moral support. The work, your reputation and the respect you've earned; that is all you, Hales. And if I don't say it enough, I'm really proud of you!" He said as he kissed her head gently. She closed her eyes to the familiar gesture. He was always so loving around her, making her feel good about herself. He was the only one she trusted in that way, accept for Nathan, but that was a whole other story.

"But, just so you now. I loved the song. Your passion is so real, Hales. I'm sure all those fake pop-princesses envy the crap out of you for your ability to capture your audience. And not only with your music, but with your personality as well. Your whole human being is incredible, Hales. You deserve so much better than this. I know you'll find someone else that will make just as happy, if not happier, than Nathan ever could.

"But I don't want anyone else! I want Nathan. He's the first thing I think about when I wake up, and the last thing I think about before I go to bed. He's way to important to me to forget. And he still owns such a huge part of my heart, I'm not sure if there is room for anyone else" Haley reasoned, trying not to start crying again. She knew she had to become stronger if she ever wanted to move on from Nathan. There just didn't seem like there was a light at the end of the tunnel for her right then. And if there was one, the tunnel was pretty damn long!

"I'm not saying; do it now! I'm saying, start with the small steps and then you'll find peace in the end. But if you never take the first step, you won't be able to finish either. That is your choice to make, Hales. But just remember that Nathan has made his choice, and it wasn't you. So what's the point?"

"The point is that I love him, not just in a normal kind of way, but in a true and strong way I can't just let go. I've known since I was 10 years old that I would be with him. All my childhood, he was the only man of my dreams. And when I finally had him, I gave him up. And now I can't take it back" Haley shook her head as her voice broke with emotion. She wasn't in the mood for crying anymore. Lucky for her, their discussion was interrupted by a loud knock on the door, and Haley excused herself to go answer the door.

"Hey! Nathan called me, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. He told me he acted like a jerk, again. But hey? What's new?" Peyton laughed at her own joke as she tried to pass by Haley. Haley didn't even have time to think or react before she let Peyton passed her and heard a loud shriek behind her. She turned to find a frozen Peyton at a loss for words, standing in the middle of her suite with large eyes and her jaw hanging to the floor.

"Jake?"

* * *

**wooo.. yeah this is gonna stir up some problems, for sure.. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought :)**

**Oh! And the lyrics are by Maria Mena - Just Hold Me.. She's gotta be one of the most talented artist in my country, I really like her music. You should check her out on youtube or spotify!**


	7. When It Was Me

**I guess you never expected me to return huh? Well, guess again! I found two chapters to this story that I never posted - and I believe it's time they are published! Enjoy :)**

* * *

"I'm confused.."

"Me too!"

Haley sighed deeply. How could she describe this one without hurting Peyton's feelings or causing some heavy tension between them? She looked at Brooke and Peyton who were both staring at her, waiting for her to explain what Jake Jagelski was doing in her suite, in New York. Neither of them had heard much from him after he moved to Albuquerque with his pregnant one night stand..

"You're gonna have to answer sometime, Hales, cause if not I'll just keep on asking" Peyton pointed out as she dropped down on Haley's large bed. It was quite the shock for her to discover her ex-boyfriend in Haley's hotel room. She didn't know what to think about it..

"I know, I know. The thing is, Albuquerque is a lot closer to Los Angeles than Tree Hill is. So when he moved down there, he contacted me and we kept in touch from time to time.."

"So, you're still friends?" Brooke frowned.

"Yeah, and co-workers. I got him a job at the label. He's a talent scout type of person, as well as a song writer for artists who can't write their own songs. He's actually pretty good!" Haley smiled sweetly towards the other two, not seeing why she should hide her friendship with Jake. She knew he'd hurt Peyton, but that didn't concern Haley.

"Well, Jake was always good with words, remember the love song he wrote to.."

"..YEAH! I remember it. Thanks, Brooke!" Peyton cut her off in with an annoyed tone in her voice. It was clear to everyone that knew Peyton that she was still angry at Jake for leaving her, even though it had been years since then. Clearly, a broken heart heals slowly. Haley knew all about that, and she was sure Nathan did too. Although, it seemed like he had been able to recover. Lucky for him...

"Why is he here?" Brooke asked her again, still not finished with the conversation. When Brooke Davis first set her mind to something, she continued until she was satisfied. That used to be a quality Haley admired in Brooke, but in this situation, she regretted that thought.

Oh, boy. This was getting ugly..

"He's here for me" Haley said, not wanting to let everything out about Nathan again. Jake was right, she had to move on! She had to be strong and fight for herself. She had to protect her heart, even if that meant giving up on the thing she desired the most in her life.

"What? Are you two.. like.. a thing now?" Brooke frowned, and Haley couldn't help but notice Peyton's pale face. It seems all the color drowned from it once the thought of Jake with someone other than herself crossed her mind.

"NO!" Haley denied quickly.

"Then why would he come all the way to New York for you?" Brooke continued. Stupid Brooke. Could never leave anything alone until she had full inside information.

"You want the truth?" Haley sighed loudly, ignoring Brooke's enthusiastic response and concentrating on the blonde girl next to her. Haley knew it would be easy for Peyton to hear how important Jake had become in Haley's life. Haley would hate it if Peyton had said the same things about Nathan that she was about to reveal about her own relationship with Jake.

"Yes, please" Peyton politely whispered, almost looking scared. Haley sighed again and nodded before she started speaking.

"After Jake moved to Albuquerque and contacted me in LA, we started speaking more and more, and after a while we were closer than ever. We spent more time together and I got to know his daughter really well. We started becoming best friends, I guess. I had lost Nathan, and he had lost you, so we were left with each other. I know my friendship with Nathan was sort of epic, but with Jake it was something totally different. I never had to worry about romantic stuff with him, it was just fun. We developed a strong connection and I started to let him in more. I told him about everything I was feeling, and how much I missed Nathan. And he told me about you guys, and how much he missed you"

"He also helped me to write about my feelings, and opened up a whole new world to me when it comes to music. He's such a talented and honest person, and I honestly think I'd still be a wreck if it wasn't for him. He's my rock, my best friend and the only person trust with absolutely everything. He's honest with me when it comes to my songs, and he tells me straight away if I'm doing something wrong or not being passionate enough. He's a fantastic support for me"

Peyton sat still, not moving a muscle. Haley didn't expect her to say anything either. What was there to say anyway? Was she mad? Did she have a reason to be? Probably not, but Haley understood how it was easy for her to be angry with her. They were talking about the love of Peyton's life who was now Haley's best friend and support. In a way, Haley felt like she had stole something from Peyton..

"Wow.. I had no idea that you had such large problems, Hales. If you'd told me, I would have tried to help you myself.." Brooke started.

"..What good would that have done, Brooke? I needed someone to hold me and tell me everything would be okay even though I felt like my heart was corroding inside me. I needed someone to make sure I was eating and support me in every choice I made. You couldn't have done that from New York, could you?" Haley broke her of in a frustrated voice.

"No, but I would have liked to know that you were suffering like that!" Brooke argued back, as determined as ever. Haley adored her for being so protective, but Brooke needed to realize that she wasn't Wonder Woman.

"That doesn't really matter, because he was there for me, and he helped me and I'm better! I can act like a normal human being again, and I can breathe without hurting. I'm Haley again, after six years of pain and heart ache. Isn't that enough?"

"Of course it is, you just surprised us. Especially when he turned up here, in front of Peyton's eyes!" Brooke sighed as she smiled that sweet smile only she possessed.

"Peyton can speak for herself, thank you very much!" Peyton cut in while speaking of herself in third person which again caused Haley to crack a smile herself.

"So you're not mad at me?" She wondered.

"No, I'm not mad at you. I just wish you'd told me earlier, so I was prepared before I walked in and found my ex-boyfriend in your hotel room!" Peyton laughed at the whole situation as she stroke Haley's arm and gave her the most confirming and settling smile she could master.

"Should we move on to the real reason why I came over?" Peyton suggested as the others nodded.

"I thought Nathan called you and you were worried?" Haley asked her as she gave Peyton a confused look.

"Yeah, well, that too! But, before Nathan called me, I did something. Something that involves you, your guitar and that great voice of yours!" Silence filled the room as she closed her mouth and waited for Haley's answer. She was nervous to hear the response. It had been years since Haley had played open mic nights, maybe she was too much of a star to go back to that..?

"What does that mean, exactly?" Haley frowned suspiciously.

"I saw this flyer for an open mic night at this awesome club, and I sort of signed you on.."

"..NO!.."

"..Haley, please! You're super talented and you love to perform.."

"..NO!.."

"..And I know you'd be GREAT if you just went up there and tried.."

"..Peyton, I said no!" Haley ended their meaningless ramble semi-fight with her sternest voice, trying to stop Peyton from attempting any further requests.

"Why not? You used to do it all the time, Hales!" Brooke jumped in, deciding she had been silent long enough.

"Because, that was a thing I did for Nathan. And see where it got me? No Nathan!" Haley argued back as she fell onto her madras.

"I thought you were over Nathan?" Peyton frowned again.

"That's totally beside the point, Peyton! I don't want to do it!"

"Well, too bad! Cause we signed you up, and you're going! Figure out a song you want to do, something with a soul, those are always hits during open mics!" Brooke winked as she started walking backwards, towards Haley's bathroom.

"I promise you, it will be great!" Peyton gave her the last hopeful smile she had inside as she made her eyes twice their normal size and brought out the famous and never failing pout.

"Will you stop looking at me like I killed your mother if I said yes?" Haley laughed loudly as Peyton clapped her hands together countless times and screamed of joy.

"Yeij! I knew you'd cave eventually" She called out triumphantly as Brooke came running out of bathroom and joined them on the bed.

"By the way, Hales. Your bathroom is a total mess! What did you do in there? Try to kill yourself, or something?" Brooke laughed as Haley tried her best to hide the pain that sprung to her eyes. Was that the truth? Had she really wished to die just because she couldn't have the guy she wanted?

Haley was miserable and pathetic. And Jake was right! She had to start using music as her own way to heal from this, not dig herself deeper into it. Nathan wouldn't want that for her. He would want her to move on. Maybe it was time to realize that they were over, and that the love they shared was buried in the past. It was something wonderful and precious, but it was over and done with. Haley needed to accept that!

* * *

"What exactly are we doing here?" Gabriella wrinkled her nose as they entered the little club. It was small, but very crowded. Clearly, many people had gotten the message that Haley James was performing tonight, and they had all showed up to get a piece of the star. Hoping she would notice them as something more than her normal audience. It made Nathan laugh, how pathetic they were being. Although, somewhere deep inside him, he knew he wanted the same thing. He wanted her to notice him and call out to him, like he was special. Just like she was.

In Nathan's eyes, no one could ever be as good as Haley James. Maybe that was why it had been so easy for him to give up everything he had built with Gaby, just for one more night with Haley. He still hadn't forgotten the passionate night they had shared together earlier that week, but he had promised himself he wouldn't do it again. He would be faithful to his fiancé, even if it hurt the woman he claimed to love so many years ago.

"We're here to see Haley, remember?" Nathan sighed as he found them a little table in the back. He wasn't sure if Haley could see him from the stage, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. She always used to connect their eyes when she performed for a crowd, sort of like she was performing just for him in their own little world. He could still remember the first time she had been up there...

FLASHBACK

"_..I can't do this, Nate! I really can't!" Haley continued to bite her nail frequently as she could feel her whole body shake in anticipation. This was her first night, the first of many nights to come.. She hoped.._

"_Of course you can! I'm right here, Hales. I believe in you!" Nathan spoke as calmly as he could, soothing her with his quiet voice. Their eyes connected as she returned his smile with the sweetest one she owned._

"_Keep your eyes on me the entire time, and just try to think that it's just you and me, alone" Nathan started stroking her cheek as she felt an indescribable peace creep up through her body. _

"_And if that doesn't work.. Just.. Picture me naked!" He added as she burst out laughing. Their eyes connected again as he planted a small kiss on her pink lips. _

"_You ready?"_

"_I hope so, if not, I'm blaming you!" Haley breathed as they broke apart and he watched her go on stage. She placed the guitar over her shoulder as she took a deep breath and found his eyes again._

"_My name is Haley James, and I'm going to perform some songs for you. I dedicate these to my boyfriend who forced me up here" Haley said as most of the faces in the crowd started laughing at the irony in her voice. Nathan did nothing to deny his own smile, why should he?_

"_I love you, Nathan"_

END OF FLASHBACK

He was brought back to reality as he felt Gabriella poke his arm, and he quickly realized that she had been talking to him.

"Sorry, what did you say, Honey?"

"I said; it's kind of cool that we know a rock star, don't you think?" Gabriella said as she laughed at him and his lost look. Luckily for her, and him, she didn't know the millions of thoughts that were passing through his brain.

"Yeah, I guess that is kind of cool" He agreed, not wanting to dive deeper into the subject.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our next artist is a well known woman! Please welcome, Haley James!" The spokesperson announced as Haley walked onto the stage with her trustworthy guitar in her hand. He could see her scanning the crowd, and he felt it sting deeply within him when their eyes connected like so many times before.

"How are you doing, tonight?" Haley's light voice rung out in the room, and Nathan couldn't tell if she was nervous or affected by the events that had happened between them earlier. It made him a bit sad, the fact that he couldn't read her anymore. But he knew that was something else he needed to accept if he wanted to move on with his life.

"I wrote this song last night, and I guess it's kind of personal. It's about envy and realization. I hope you like it" Haley smiled lightly as she started humming a light melody on her guitar, and soon she was accompanied by a whole band who played along with the chords to her new song.

_She's got green eyes,_

_and she's 5'5,_

_long brown hair all down her back._

_A Cadillac Truck,_

_so the hell what?_

_What's so special about that?_

_She used to model,_

_she's done some acting,_

_so she weights a buck 'o 5._

_And I guess that she's all right,_

_if perfection's what you like._

_Oh oh oh oh oh_

_And I'm not jealous,_

_no I'm not._

_Oh oh oh oh oh_

_I just want everything she's got._

_Oh oh oh oh oh_

_You look at her so amazed,_

_I remember way back when,_

_you used to look at me that way._

_Tell me,_

_What makes her so much better than me?_

_What makes her just everything,_

_I could never be?_

_What makes her your every dream and fantasy?_

_Because I can remember, _

_When it was me._

_And now you don't feel the same._

_I remember, _

_you would shiver,_

_every time I said your name._

_You said nothing felt as good as when you gazed into my eyes_

_Now, you don't care I'm alive_

_How did we let the fire die?_

_Oh oh oh oh oh_

_And I'm not jealous,_

_no I'm not._

_Oh oh oh oh oh_

_I just want everything she's got._

_Oh oh oh oh oh_

_You look at her so amazed,_

_I remember way back when,_

_you used to look at me that way._

_Oh,_

_What makes her so much better than me?_

_What makes her just everything,_

_I could never be?_

_What makes her your every dream and fantasy?_

_Because I can remember, _

_When it was me._

_That made you smile._

_Me,_

_That made you laugh._

_Me that made you happier than you had ever been_

_Oh, Me,_

_That was your world._

_Your perfect girl._

_Nothing about me has changed, _

_That's why I'm here,_

_Wondering_

_What makes her so much better than me?_

_What makes her just everything,_

_I could never be?_

_What makes her your every dream and fantasy?_

_Because I can remember, _

_When it was.._

_What makes her so much better than me?_

_What makes her just everything,_

_I could never be?_

_What makes her your every dream and fantasy?_

_Because I can remember, _

_When it was me._

_When it was me._

_When it was me._

_When it was me._

The crowd was on their feet as they applauded Haley for her first song. Everyone was clapping, except for Nathan. He was the only one who knew the deeper meaning. It was weird how Gaby hadn't caught it herself.. Greene eyes? Brown hair? Model? It was a perfect description of Gabriella. Nathan held Haley's eyes as she continued speaking, getting ready to introduce her next song.

"Thank you! This next song, I also wrote recently, and it's about letting go and moving on. Something I'm gonna have to do, so hopefully you'll like it!" Haley smiled sweetly as Nathan, letting him know that she knew what she had to do, and that she was willing to do it.

_The smell of your skin lingers, on me now._

_You're probably on your flight back to your hometown._

_I need some shelter of my own protection, Baby._

_Be with myself and center_

_clarity, peace, serenity._

_I hope you know,_

_I hope you know._

_That this has nothing to do with you._

_It's personal,_

_myself and I._

_We've got some straightenin' out to do._

_And I'm gonna miss you,_

_like a child misses their blanket,_

_but I've got to get and move on with my life._

_It's time to be a big girl now._

_And big girl's don't cry!_

_The path that I'm walking,_

_I must go alone._

_I must take the baby steps 'til I'm full grown._

_Fairytales don't always have a happy ending,_

_do they?_

_And I forsee the dark ahead,_

_if I stay._

_I hope you know,_

_I hope you know._

_That this has nothing to do with you._

_It's personal,_

_myself and I._

_We've got some straightenin' out to do._

_And I'm gonna miss you,_

_like a child misses their blanket,_

_but I've got to go and move on with my life._

_It's time to be a big girl now._

_And big girl's don't cry!_

_Like the little school mate in the schoolyard_

_We'll play jacks and Uno cards_

_I'll be your best friend_

_And you'll be mine_

_Valentine_

_Yes, you can hold my hand if you want to_

_'Cause I want to hold yours too_

_We'll be playmates, and lovers,_

_and share our secret worlds._

_But it's time for me to go home._

_It's getting late, and dark outside._

_I need to be with myself and center_

_clarity, peace, serenity_

_I hope you know,_

_I hope you know._

_That this has nothing to do with you._

_It's personal,_

_myself and I._

_We've got some straightenin' out to do._

_And I'm gonna miss you,_

_like a child misses their blanket,_

_but I've got to go and move on with my life._

_It's time to be a big girl now._

_And big girl's don't cry!_

_Don't cry,_

_don't cry,_

_don't cry.._

* * *

That was weird.. The look on Nathan's face, how he has reacted to her songs.. Him being there in the first place! It was all a big blend of weird.. At least Jake was happy with her. She had given him exactly what he wanted, and he was over the top excited to get her in a recording studio so she could record her new songs. It would be the "I'm done with the pining, it's time to move on" album, or something like that. Haley couldn't really feel the love he was so excited about. For her, it was sad..

Everything was sad.

First, she was sad because she wanted something she couldn't have. And now that she had finally started to get over that fact, she was sad because she was healing. It had come to her realization that once she was over Nathan, he would no longer be a part of her life. They couldn't be friends, who was she kidding? It was everything or nothing, there was no "in between". They were Nathan and Haley, it was simply impossible. Would Donald be 'Buddy Buddy' with Dolly if she started dating Uncle Scrooge? Not likely.. There would be no Romeo and Juliet, if they were just friends! The story would be gone. The magic that made them special would be lost. Who cared about the lovely friendship between Jack and Rose? It was their love that made 'Titanic' special, not their friendship.

And this made Haley sad. Not just the loss of a lover, but the loss of a friend. Her very best friend. The one she had shared her bed with for countless nights. The one who had left his dirty boxers all over her room, leaving her to clean them up and wash them. It was all over.. Gabriella would be washing his dirty underwear now.. Even something as nasty and disgusting as Nathan's dirty underwear, made Haley sad.

She was simply a sad person.

A couple of knocks on her door stirred Haley from her position on her bed. Who could be coming over at that time of night? She checked her hair quickly in the mirror as the knocking continued.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Geesh, Haley thought as she walked towards the door and opened it, only to reveal Donald with the dirty underwear on the other side.

"Nathan? I don't have a washing machine here!"

She could see him frowning, and she quickly understood her mistake. Embarrassing as it was.

"I mean, what are you doing here?"

It seemed like minutes, maybe hours. That depends where you're standing. For Haley, is seemed like years. His eyes were intense, and they focused completely on hers. It was like his look was cutting a hole in her body, and his smell was like something toxic that kept her from being able to form other words. After minutes, hours and maybe even years, he grabbed her face and crashed his lips onto hers...

* * *

**Songs by Paula DeAnda and Fergie - Please review and I'll have the next chapter up for you soon!**


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